1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for mounting a component in a rack and, in particular, to an apparatus and a method for slidably mounting a component in a rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the interest of installation floor space economy, components of computer systems (e.g., central processing units, storage media drives, and the like) are often mounted in racks. Typically, such racks include vertically elongated, floor mounted cabinet assemblies of standard sizes that include a rectangular internal frame structure externally covered by removable panels and one or more horizontally pivotable access doors. It may be desirable from time to time for personnel to access these components to perform maintenance on and/or to reconfigure the components. Thus, such a component is typically mounted to the frame structure of the rack by slides so that the component may be readily moved between a forwardly extended component access position and a rearwardly retracted closed operating position.
To operatively mount the component in the rack, one portion of the slide is attached to the component enclosure and another portion of the slide is attached to the frame structure of the rack. These two portions are then mated such that they slidingly cooperate, thus allowing the component to be extended from and retracted into the rack. Typically, the component enclosure includes features, commonly referred to as “ears” or “flanges”, which have openings therethrough adapted to receive fasteners for securing the component to the frame structure of the rack. When the fasteners are received through these openings and engaged with corresponding openings in the frame structure of the rack, the component is inhibited from inadvertently being extended from the rack.
If the spatial relationship between the component enclosure and the frame structure of the rack is not accurately maintained, the openings in the component enclosure ears or flanges may not be aligned with the corresponding openings in the frame structure of the rack. Thus, it may not be possible for the fasteners to be placed through the openings in the component enclosure ears or flanges and engaged with the openings in the frame structure of the rack to secure the component enclosure to the frame structure. Further, it may not be possible to move the component to another location within the rack, which is often desirable, since the component being moved may physically interfere with one or more other components mounted within the rack.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing, the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.